Oil leak?

[DSMik3]

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Ive got some oil above my exhaust manifold. Can somebody give me a clue as to where its coming from and why?

 

[92AWDHX40]

Valve cover possible gonna have to clean the area up and run the car and look for leaks in the area.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

My local Orillies Auto sells oil DYE. It comes in a very small bottle and really you only need probably half of it. If you can find some, put it in your oil, thru the oil filler cap just like normal and run the car down the road and back. Now you will need a Ultra Violet (BLACK) light. You will easily be able to see where your leak is coming from. Now I have all this because I do A/C work also so I had the UV light, but any black light would work (FleeBay for 4.50 and free shipping) and your oil will show up as very light green/yellow where it is at and where it is coming from. This is how I found my leak under my front cover and it was obvious. Just a tip. Hope you can find it and fix it, it does just appear to be the valve cover gasket. If you remove the valve cover, please don't torque it back down to tight and hear the dredded, POP which would mean you have cracked it. MTC's. Good Luck.

 

[DSMik3]

Thanks guys. I JUST changed my valve cover gasket like 100 miles ago when, I put on my new valve cover I painted. So Im pretty sure its not that, I checked and didn't see any signs of it leaking. I cleaned up the oil pretty good, im going to drive it a few times and see if I can tell where its coming from. If not ill try the dye.

 

[evo-gsr]

I would say rocker cover also...if you over tightened the bolts when you put it on this can cause a leak also. Did you run a bead of RTV around the surface of the head before putting the gasket on?
I started doing this a while back and have never had a leak since.

 

[bryanwheat]

I would say rocker cover also...if you over tightened the bolts when you put it on this can cause a leak also. Did you run a bead or RTV around the surface of the head before putting the gasket on?
I started doing this a while back and have never had a leak since.

I wouldn't be recommending people put rtv around the valve cover gasket. If you do it properly in the first place, than you will need no rtv except in the corners of the cam caps.

 

[evo-gsr]

I was stating my experience which has worked fine for me.....wheres the problem with that?

I also said I put a bead along the surface of the head...not around the gasket.

 

[bryanwheat]

I was stating my experience which has worked fine for me.....wheres the problem with that?

I also said I put a bead along the surface of the head...not around the gasket.

In my 15+ years of experience working on these cars i have found that it isn't required, as the service manual also states. Putting rtv on the head surface is the same as putting it on the gasket. There is no need. Just clean both surfaces perfectly, wipe down with solvent, than put rtv in the corners of the cam caps and on the half moon plug. Than install the valve cover with a new gasket and torque to the proper spec and it won't leak.

 

[evo-gsr]

Might not be needed, but its double insurance in my mind and it works for me and plenty of others I know do this also. You have your method...I have mine. Its worked for me in my application so I will stick to it.
Theres no right or wrong way of doing it...If the OP has recently replaced his gasket and it leaks, my original suggestion will stop it leaking thats all I suggested.....

 

[bryanwheat]

Might not be needed, but its double insurance in my mind and it works for me and plenty of others I know do this also. You have your method...I have mine. Its worked for me in my application so I will stick to it.
Theres no right or wrong way of doing it...If the OP has recently replaced his gasket and it leaks, my original suggestion will stop it leaking thats all I suggested.....

Well i say you are wrong, i have seen countless gaskets leak because people did use rtv. Keep your opinions to yourself, we the people who get on this site year after year and help people out want to get people doing this the right way. That is what this is all about, giving people the correct information in order to fix their problems properly. I don't get on here and waste my time just to argue with people like you.

 

[evo-gsr]

Like I said..its worked for me and plenty of others I know that havent had success using your method.

End of story.

 

[bryanwheat]

Like I said..its worked for me and plenty of others I know that havent had success using your method.

End of story.

They didn't have success because they didn't do it correctly. How can i, and many others do it this way, including the factory and not have them leak, yet somehow when you or the people that you know can't get them to seal.

 

[evo-gsr]

Maybe just maybe we have a setup different to yours and how the car was sent out from the factory...ever consider that? ...one example...
a non factory manifold which sat extremely close to the rocker cover causing heat distortion to the gasket...replaced gasket and used rtv gasket maker with a high heat resistance and WOW what do you know....no leaks!!!

Like I have said numerous times now...you have your method..I have mine..both of which have worked fine in their application. Just because you dont do it that way...doesnt mean I am wrong...[DOUBLEPOST=1408500595][/DOUBLEPOST]If I am wrong, as you SUGGEST.....why does my rocker cover not leak?

 

[bryanwheat]

Maybe just maybe we have a setup different to yours and how the car was sent out from the factory...ever consider that? ...one example...
a non factory manifold which sat extremely close to the rocker cover causing heat distortion to the gasket...replaced gasket and used rtv gasket maker with a high heat resistance and WOW what do you know....no leaks!!!

Like I have said numerous times now...you have your method..I have mine..both of which have worked fine in their application. Just because you dont do it that way...doesnt mean I am wrong...[DOUBLEPOST=1408500595][/DOUBLEPOST]If I am wrong, as you SUGGEST.....why does my rocker cover not leak?

See the thing is that i don't own a car and work on my own car. I have owned a lot of these and worked on tons of them along with all kinds of other cars. You own one and have expierence on your one car doing it one time. How about this, you use your method, i will use the correct way and give advise here. And if you don't want to give correct advise just don't post. That is kind of how it is supposed to be done you know.

 

[lasershark]

The problem here is that our toilets flush in opposite directions

 

[evo-gsr]

Lol...whatever mate...whatever.
so much for the no hostility cause thats " how its supposed to be done"

! [DOUBLEPOST=1408505148][/DOUBLEPOST]Team America....f@#k yeah!

 

[athlete3344]

Just to add some backup to the correct way, see the video below at about the 10min mark.

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Jafro has tons of videos, and he has habits of doing things by the book and usually some extra on top of it. If you really are confused about whether to follow the book or wing it, I suggest watching some of his videos to understand his attitude towards these cars. He is very thorough.


And to add, I would take the advice of a known forum user who has a history of providing extremely useful information across the board vs someone who just joined with shady advice.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

I would take a WISEMANS advice anyday over a one timer. Not that in your experience, the RTV worked but this site is to give correct information, the correct way of doing things and that is why he is a WISEMAN. To each his own, I know my choice. MTC.